in the wake of the violence, the rush by republicans, including mitt romney, sarah palin and scores of other conservative critics to condemn him, meaning the president, for policies they claim help precipitate the attacks is as tortured in its reasoning as it is unseemly in its timing. that's from mark salter. >> we disagree from time to time. that statement was taken down by the embassy because it was clearly not strong enough concerning what was happening at the embassy. now the tick tock back and forth is something, frankly, i didn't pay attention to. i do know this. americans are outraged when our embassy is attacked and the egyptian government does not take the proper measures to protect it. how much that affects our relationship with egypt, i think, is something we have to carefully calibrate, recognizing how important a role egypt is in the entire middle east. >> how much of the tick tock, really, sir, should mitt romney play a part in? in moments like this, as you point out, losing an american hero, should he not have remained above the political fray? >> look, i believe that t